China’s Physical China’s Physical GeographyGeography

Taklimakan DesertTaklimakan Desert

• TaklimakTaklimakan Desertan Desert

• Means, “Land of Means, “Land of irrevocable death”irrevocable death”

• Vast, sandy desertVast, sandy desert• Located N.W. ChinaLocated N.W. China

– Kunlun Mountains Kunlun Mountains (Sian) to south(Sian) to south

– Tian Sian and Tarim Tian Sian and Tarim River to NorthRiver to North

• 105,000 square miles 105,000 square miles in central Tarim Basinin central Tarim Basin

• 984 ft. high sand 984 ft. high sand dunesdunes– Space needle 605ftSpace needle 605ft– Columbia tower Columbia tower

967ft967ft

East China SeaEast China Sea

• East East China SeaChina Sea

• 290,000 square 290,000 square milesmiles

• Largely shallow with Largely shallow with 71% less than 650ft 71% less than 650ft deepdeep

• Average depth = Average depth = 1,145Ft1,145Ft

• Weather dominated Weather dominated by monsoon wind by monsoon wind systemssystems

South China SeaSouth China Sea

• South South China SeaChina Sea

• Covers 848,000 square Covers 848,000 square milesmiles

• Located between S.E. Located between S.E. Asian mainland and Asian mainland and Taiwan, the Philippines Taiwan, the Philippines and Borneoand Borneo

• S.W. part (from Gulf of S.W. part (from Gulf of Siam to Java Sea) is a Siam to Java Sea) is a submerged plain and submerged plain and generally shallowgenerally shallow

• N.E. part is deep basinN.E. part is deep basin– Depths up to 18,000 Depths up to 18,000

feetfeet• Many islands dot seaMany islands dot sea

Mount EverestMount Everest

• Mt. Mt. EverestEverest

• Chinese call Zhumulong Chinese call Zhumulong MafengMafeng

• On border of China and On border of China and Nepal in central Himalayas.Nepal in central Himalayas.

• 29,028 feet29,028 feet• Highest mountain in the Highest mountain in the

worldworld

Tian Shan Tian Shan

• Tian ShanTian Shan • Shan mean “mountain”Shan mean “mountain”• 1,500 miles long from 1,500 miles long from

Pamir Mts through N.W. Pamir Mts through N.W. China to China-Mongolian China to China-Mongolian borderborder

• Dry climate so snow line is Dry climate so snow line is usually above 11,000 ft.usually above 11,000 ft.

• Coal, iron, lead, zinc are Coal, iron, lead, zinc are minedmined

• Grains are main crop in Grains are main crop in valleysvalleys

Turfan Depression Turfan Depression

• Turfan Turfan DepressionDepression

• Also called Dzungarian Also called Dzungarian BasinBasin

• Fault trough 650km longFault trough 650km long• Lowest point 505 ft below Lowest point 505 ft below

sea levelsea level• Lowest point in ChinaLowest point in China• Intensely farmedIntensely farmed• Famous for grapesFamous for grapes• Melons, peaches, apricots, Melons, peaches, apricots,

nuts, cotton, silk and wheat nuts, cotton, silk and wheat also producedalso produced

Mekong River Mekong River

• Mekong Mekong RiverRiver

• 2,600 miles long2,600 miles long• Headwaters in Tibetan Headwaters in Tibetan

Highlands, through Yunnan Highlands, through Yunnan province, forms Myanmar province, forms Myanmar (Burma)-Laos border, (Burma)-Laos border, through Laos, to Cambodia, through Laos, to Cambodia, forming Mekong Delta forming Mekong Delta (fertile region in Vietnam (fertile region in Vietnam and spills into S. China Seaand spills into S. China Sea

Catfish = 118 inches, 661.4 pounds

North China Plain North China Plain

• North North China China PlainPlain

• 135,000 square miles135,000 square miles• 22ndnd largest plain largest plain • Flat and low (below 150 ft)Flat and low (below 150 ft)• River channels are higher River channels are higher

than surrounding areathan surrounding area• Highest proportion of land Highest proportion of land

under cultivation in all of under cultivation in all of ChinaChina

Yellow River Yellow River

• Yellow Yellow RiverRiver

• Chinese call it Huang HeChinese call it Huang He• 3,000 miles long3,000 miles long• Headwaters in Kunlun Mts. Headwaters in Kunlun Mts.

Flows east into Yellow SeaFlows east into Yellow Sea• Dry, winter season, river is Dry, winter season, river is

slow and most of riverbed is slow and most of riverbed is emptyempty

• In summer, river rages out of In summer, river rages out of controlcontrol

• Since 2Since 2ndnd century B.C, river century B.C, river has flooded over 1,500 times has flooded over 1,500 times with 9 major course changeswith 9 major course changes

• Diverted once on purpose to Diverted once on purpose to stall Japanese invasion in 1938stall Japanese invasion in 1938

Yangzi River Yangzi River

• Yangzi Yangzi RiverRiver

• Also YangtzeAlso Yangtze• Headwaters in Tibetan Headwaters in Tibetan

Highlands Highlands • Flows east for 3,450 miFlows east for 3,450 mi• Flows through China’s Flows through China’s

middle basinmiddle basin– One of world’s most One of world’s most

productive agricultural productive agricultural regionsregions

– One of world’s most One of world’s most populated regionspopulated regions

• Long used as a major Long used as a major east-west trade and east-west trade and transportation routetransportation route

Gobi Desert Gobi Desert

• Gobi Gobi DesertDesert

• 1,000 mi. on plateau with 1,000 mi. on plateau with area of 500,000 sq. miarea of 500,000 sq. mi

• East to West across S.E. East to West across S.E. Mongolia and N. ChinaMongolia and N. China

• Grassy fringe supports Grassy fringe supports small population of nomadic small population of nomadic Mongolian sheep/camel Mongolian sheep/camel herdersherders

• Fierce sand and wind Fierce sand and wind storms commonstorms common

Yunnan Plateau Yunnan Plateau

• Yunnan Yunnan PlateauPlateau

• Eastern half is limestone Eastern half is limestone contains canyonlike valleys, contains canyonlike valleys, precipitous mtsprecipitous mts

• Marked by numerous sinks, Marked by numerous sinks, ravines, underground ravines, underground streamsstreams

• Rugged terrain produces Rugged terrain produces wide range of flora faunawide range of flora fauna

Sichuan Basin Sichuan Basin

• Sichuan Sichuan BasinBasin

• Also known as Red BasinAlso known as Red Basin• One of most attractive One of most attractive

regionsregions• 75,000 sq mi75,000 sq mi• Surrounded by mountainsSurrounded by mountains

– Protect is against cold and Protect is against cold and North winds in winterNorth winds in winter

• Very hilly (except for Very hilly (except for Chengdu plain)Chengdu plain)

• Little arable land so Little arable land so farmers must build terraces farmers must build terraces on slopes to grow cropson slopes to grow crops